LE has been and likely will be facing some bleak times ahead, corrections facilities included. I recently have been watching the dealings with Cook County Illinois where cuts were cause for concern for the administration because the COs were aggitated and threatening because they were facing cuts.

I just don't understand why our DOC is continuing to hire several CO's but is giving us all pay cuts. While every other department that I know of has hiring freezes and/or a few lay offs they are not getting pay cuts. They are trying to cut us more than 5%, more like 20% pay cut if the state gets their way. I have no idea why our wonderful governor says that by giving us pay cuts it will help our economy.

Part of accepting Federal money came with the stipulation that the states manage their finances better (some with Federal Oversight). So, if they want to continue receiving federal funding, they have to do what the feds ask.

Oh, and the pay cuts are just a start...it's rumored that they plan on taking holliday pay, make us pay more for insurance premiums and enforce furlows (mandatory, unpaid leave).

Yes the state also wants to take away our CBA days and take them unpaid if we request them off. They also want to increase our healthcare costs by 117%.

Riot says ...

mystikdragon7 says ...

I just don't understand why our DOC is continuing to hire several CO's but is giving us all pay cuts. While every other department that I know of has hiring freezes and/or a few lay offs they are not getting pay cuts. They are trying to cut us more than 5%, more like 20% pay cut if the state gets their way. I have no idea why our wonderful governor says that by giving us pay cuts it will help our economy.

Part of accepting Federal money came with the stipulation that the states manage their finances better (some with Federal Oversight). So, if they want to continue receiving federal funding, they have to do what the feds ask.

Oh, and the pay cuts are just a start...it's rumored that they plan on taking holliday pay, make us pay more for insurance premiums and enforce furlows (mandatory, unpaid leave).

Hello, I am a part time jail officer where there is only one officer on at a time. We have a ten person jail that usually houses 15- 25 inmates. our county also has one road officer on at a time as does the town. One town in our county doesn't even have police coverage unless the S.O. gets called there, and they say the economy is "getting better"

Hello, I am a part time jail officer where there is only one officer on at a time. We have a ten person jail that usually houses 15- 25 inmates. our county also has one road officer on at a time as does the town. One town in our county doesn't even have police coverage unless the S.O. gets called there, and they say the economy is "getting better"

They only said "getting better" so that the governors could get in their tidy seats and dodge the bullet of blame for the crappy economy. The reality is that it will get worse before it gets better...

It sure can...wait until they let inmates go early, privatize corrections and make more useless laws for the police to enforce.

If you think the cell phone laws are bad now, wait until the state makes it illegal to touch your radio! One thing that Washington has realized, is that it is better just to make more laws and have the police ticket people than to raise taxes.

It sure can...wait until they let inmates go early, privatize corrections and make more useless laws for the police to enforce.

If you think the cell phone laws are bad now, wait until the state makes it illegal to touch your radio! One thing that Washington has realized, is that it is better just to make more laws and have the police ticket people than to raise taxes.

The above comments are soley those of the poster and in no way reflect the position of the Department of Corrections.

It sure can...wait until they let inmates go early, privatize corrections and make more useless laws for the police to enforce.

If you think the cell phone laws are bad now, wait until the state makes it illegal to touch your radio! One thing that Washington has realized, is that it is better just to make more laws and have the police ticket people than to raise taxes.

Speaking of useless laws, did you hear about Washington's new smoking while driving. It will allow you to get a ticket for holding a smoke and driving at the same time. But anyway, how about our wonderful 3% paycuts we are getting at the middle of the year. One of our union reps was explaining that all the higher ups in Headquaters in Olympia are reorganizing their job class and giving themselves a 2% raise. Isn't that just great, we get a paycut while they give themsleves a payraise....

Hey Guys.. Im a CCO here in Tacoma.. I hadnt heard about the New Smoking law they made here in Washington.. When did that one happen?

And Bump to the making more feaking laws to fine you for.. The red light cameras are there newest money making scheme that seems to be doing the trick. I hear more are coming... This use to be a great state to live in...

We have been hit with cut backs for the last 3 years. No overtime, rephrase that, we work overtime then have to "flex" the time off later in the week. No state match on our Deferred Comp, took 2 state holidays from us, insurance went up last year and going up again this year, for retirement it is now 90 and out instead of 80 and out, new COI's have to pay 4% of their wages into their retirement and it will take them 10 yrs to be vested for retirement instead of 5. We hire them, get them through the academy and then many of them leave within a month or so for jobs with better pay or better benefits so we are always running short staffed and it seems the ones who do stick around have an "I dont care attitude when it comes to safety and security", and not much common sense about them.

In my state, both LE and DOC have been eliminating positions through attrition for about 5 years now. Even so much that academies have have cancelled for just about every dept. I know of for a year while a freeze was on.

""Life is a storm.. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes"
Alexander Dumas-The Count of Monte Christo